1. Locate the Rocky Mountains on this map. How many roads can you identify that cross the mountains? Why do you think there were so few?

2. Find the Santa Fe Trail. This trading route connected Santa Fe with Independence, Missouri. The trail begins in Santa Fe and runs east through S. Miguel and Las Vegas. Where did the trail divide? What can you tell from the map about why two different routes might have been used? Based on the map, what advantages might each route have had? What disadvantages?

3. Find the Raton Mountains and Raton Pass. The road through the pass was the most direct route from the eastward-flowing Arkansas River to Santa Fe. Why do you think traders would have used this route even though Raton Pass was very steep and difficult to cross?

4. Glorieta Pass is located on the trail just east of Santa Fe, right below the word "Pecos." Why do you suppose both parts of the trail come together to go through the pass?

* The map on this screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a larger version of Map 3, but be aware that the file may take as much as 60 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.